


Speedsters in Love (Almost)

by orphan_account



Category: Teen Titans, Young Avengers
Genre: 30 day challenge, Other, ftm!Tommy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-09-18
Updated: 2012-11-28
Packaged: 2017-11-14 12:41:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 4,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/515342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tommy knew how this all began. He wished he knew how it would end- for him and for Bart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. beginning

**Author's Note:**

> So, I wanted to do a 30 Day Challenge, and my brain gave me the idea to use my idea of ftm!Tommy with my love of speedster love to make this. <3

_Beginning (n) - the start of something new._

The first thing through Tommy’s mind was, “These fights are getting more ridiculous.”

The second thing through his head was, “I hope these new guys are on our side.”

He lashed out with a sharp punch and spun to snap another at the jaw of one of the ten nefarious thugs around him. His ears picked up the noise of feet and turned slightly at the sound of the goon to his left falling.

The sight of the other speedster brought a small frown to Tommy’s face. He didn’t have much time to dwell on it though, as the ground was rocked by another example of the big foe’s explosive quality.

“Can’ttalksavinglivessorry.” The kid in red and white dashed off and Tommy snorted, following suit as quickly as his feet would carry him. He fell in step with him soon enough, matching footstep with footstep.

It felt almost…right, running in sync with this fellow. The feeling of having someone keep up at the speed of sound was nice, to say the least.

Together, their fists easily took down the enemy and Tommy dusted his hand down the green and silver suit.

“Now that we can talk. Who are you?” He quirked a pale brow and the other grinned.

“Impulse. Bart Allen. Fellow speedster.” He offered his scarlet-gloved hand for an enthusiastic handshake, which Tommy didn’t mind taking a second later.

“Speed. Tommy Shepherd. Nice to meet you.” He flashed his own smile. “Now, how ‘bout a race to get this new, lovely friendship under way?”


	2. accusation

_Accusation (n)- the claim that someone has done wrong._

"Tommy, what did you do!?"

"I blew up the bad guys." The speedster's green eyes flickered mischiviously.

"We can see that much. You also destroyed the building they were holding hostage." Billy scowled, using his magic to lift the biggest piece of rubble and letting the teams get in to check for hurt people and the bad guys.

Tommy felt Bart brush past him as he tossed a piece of rubble aside.

"That was pretty cool."

"Alas, only the fellow speedster understands my great ability to blow things sky high." Tommy flashed a grin as Bart went to work beside him.

"You should show me how to do that."

"I don't know if I can."

"It wouldn't hurt to try, now would it?" Bart cracked a slightly smaller smile as Tommy lobbed a rock his way. Not that it would have hit, regardless of Bart moving or not.

"Might. Unless you can find a place people wouldn't mind having blown to hell."

"And if I could?" Tommy quirked a brow at the brunette.

"...I almost wanna question that."

"Like I would tell you." He grinned and Tommy vibrated the small chunk of rubble in his hand before throwing it at Impulse's feet. It burst right at his feet with a bang, causing the other to jump slightly.

"That almost hit me! ...you threw that at me on purpose!"

"Nooope. Don't know what you're talking about. Nope." Tommy grinned slightly as Bart stamped his feet and kicked some rocks at him.


	3. restless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I, um, forgot to post this one yesterday. So I'll post this and another one today. ;n;

Tommy fidgeted and mumbled to himself some. The others were busy with their own lives (Billy had class, Teddy was off doing..something, Eli and Kate were off training but wouldn't let him join them) and that meant Tommy had at least a solid two or three hours to himself.  Torture for the speedster.

He grumbled and pulled at the edge of the green sweater he wore, and looked up when there was a blur of brown and red standing before him.

"Nice sweater, Tommy."

"Oh, shut up Bart. It was a gift."

The other speedster grinned lightly and looked around some, tapping the toes of his right foot on the carpet before looking back at Tommy.

"It's snowing. That's normal for this time of year, right?"

"Mm-hm." He glanced outside, then looked at Bart with a cocked brow. "...wanna go on a run? It'd get us out of the house."

"Only if you change out of that dumb sweater." Tommy flashed a grin and stood to race up to his room to change clothes. Bart called up after him.

"Maybe we could race to the ice rink!"

"Sounds like fun!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So short sobs. But the next chapter will continue after this.


	4. snowflake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO SORRY FOR MISSING SO MUCH AHH.

Tommy laughed as his feet hit the ground outside the ice rink, skidding to a stop on the slick, snow-covered ground before Bart slid to a stop beside him and actually fell.

"Pft, are you okay?"

"Holyshitthegroundiscold." He flashed a chattery grin and pushed himself back to his feet. The two speedsters laughed a little, their breath forming small cloud in front of them in the cold.

Tommy glanced about, then looked up at the sky, watching the white flurries drift down from the gray clouds above. Bart shifted beside him and grinned.

"Wanna go skate? I've got enough cash for us to get in." The Young Avenger blinked and nodded, smiling. Bart beamed and grabbed for Tommy's hand to drag him inside.

Tommy arched a brow when Bart's fingers clasped his own, warm through the thin gloves he wore and shaking slightly with the minute vibrations that wracked the brunette.

The hand lingered until after they'd gotten inside, only releasing when Bart had to fumble for his wallet and pay for the entrance and skate rental. Tommy flexed his fingers, frowning just a tiny bit at the loss of warmth, but having no time to really think on it before Bart's fingers closed around his again.

Tommy took just a mere moment to get his skates on, while Bart took a longer moment thanks to him getting the laces in a tangle. Once they were on, the pair spun onto the ice, which only had a few people lingering around the edges.

"Wonder how fast we could get on these skates without breaking something." Bart smiled as he slid lazily beside Tommy, who glanced over and flashed a playful grin. 

"Let's find out, shall we?" It was his turn to close his fingers around Bart's hand as he kicked off into a quick skate. Outside, snowflakes drifted and stuck to the warm windows of the rink.


	5. haze

Bart coughed some, trying to clear the dust from the building that had just crumbled before him. It had come apart suddenly, with a loud _bang_ before it crumbled to nothing more than dust and chunks of debris. Tommy stood among the wreckage, shaking lightly from head to toe.

"Tommy! Are you okay, are you hurt,  _what happened-"_

_  
_"They got away." The green-clad speedster swallowed hard, then looked over to Bart. Through the film of dirt on his goggles, Bart was little more than a white and scarlet blur. It was enough, though, for Tommy to come over and cling to in a hug. The vibrations through his body came quicker as he swallowed again. "The guy killed this girl and he got away with it."


	6. flame

It happened a few nights after the ice skating. Tommy and Bart had become content with lounging together, curled up on the couch with a movie or a game or just whatever was on television at the time. When not curled up there, they were imseparable, going on runs or training together.

This night was no different. They curled together on the couch, X-Box controllers in hand, as they hammered away at the buttons. Tommy flashed a grin as he began to win and threw his hands up when victory was his.

"I won! I told you I was great at this game-" He turned his head, drawing in a sharp gasp when Bart was nose-to-nose with him. The brunette smiled widely and watched Tommy's expression soften.

"Did I startle you or something?"

"Uh. Yeah. Dude, you're really close and all-"

"I wanna try something. You don't mind, do you?"

"That. Um. Depends." Tommy scowled at tripping over his own words. He was usually the best talker out of the group, what got him all tongue-tied suddenly.

"Just lemme. If you don't like it, just say so."

And with that, his hand slid up and cupped Tommy's face, pulling him to Bart until their lips met. Tommy felt a shudder run through him, willing himself to not vibrate the couch- _that'd be awkward-_ and focused on what Bart was doing. From this close, Bart smelled like something vaguely warm, like the air when it rushed past Tommy during a run, and also like the detergent that they used to wash the blanket piled around the brunette. He felt Bart's fingers slide further up his jaw and into his hair, carressing the pale strands gently.

Tommy felt himself warm through and through, a low curl of heat starting in his chest and unfurling to touch every inch of him, especially hot under where Bart's hands rested and where his lips met Tommy's, pulling another shiver from him.

Bart felt that one and laughed lightly before releasing Tommy, letting his eyes scan the familiar green eyes before smiling.

"I take it you like that?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, a kiss, a kiss I see! I'm lame, forgive me.


	7. formal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Finally. I'll be putting these up as fast as I can, don't worry. It shall continue!

"Do I  _have_ to go?" Tommy stamped his feet with a frown as Kate tried to knot the silk tie around his throat. She scowled some herself at him being childish and moved to thwack him on the head lightly.

"Yes, you have to go. This is an official, formal party sanctioned by the Avegners."

"But Bart doesn't have to go-"

"Bart is a guest and not part of the Young Avengers, Tommy! Not suck it up and quit whining."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this one is short sobs. I'm trying to do better, promise. ;A; The next one should be longer.


	8. companion

Tommy has definitely found himself in worse places (than a dank subway tunnel) with much worse company (than fellow speedster Bart Allen), so he couldn't quite complain about their predicament.

"You're absolutely sure this is the right way, Bart?"

"Totally. Now, come on." Tommy tilted a brow, but nodded. He took mental note of the number spraypainted on the wall.

An hour and a half and two cycles past the same nuber later, he let himself sigh and sit on the small raised sideline of the tunnel.

"Let it be known that speedsters have no sense of direction." He glanced over as Bart flopped beside him in a flail of lanky limbs.

"Okay, so I THOUGHT that was the right way."

"It wasn't."

"I know that now, Captain Obvious."

"How long til the others come for us?"

"About an hour."

Tommy let out a groan and stretched hislegs out in front of him, looking over at his partner. Bart sat with his knees drawn up, whistling idly (though it was almost deafening in the tunnels). He must have noticed Tommy's observation of him because he tilted his head to look back at Tommy.

"Yes, Tommy?"

"Hm? ...oh, nothing. Just observing." He flashed a sharp, white grin and blinked when Bart sat up on his knees suddenly. The brunette reached for Tommy and pulled him forward into a clumsy kiss.

Besides the initial knock of teeth on teeth, Bart was as careful as the night they'd kissed while curled together on the couch. His fingers ghosted over Tommy's face and down to his shoulders, smoothing over the sleek green suit.

Tommy rested one of his own hands on Bart's arm, curling his fingers into the tight fabric under them.

All of it was languid, altogether too slow for either speedster (if the way Bart's nails scraped lightly on Tommy's cheek were any indication, that is) but it was nice at the same time.

They separated after a moment, Tommy's emerald eyes hazy beneath his orange goggles. Bart flashed a grin not unlike Tommy's before.

"I've been meaning to do that since the other night."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

Tommy pursed his lips some..then grinned lightly.

"Wanna do it again?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, another kiss. UwU


	9. move

Before Bart came along, Tommy had little reference of what he looked like moving at superspeed.

Now, as he watches Bart spar with one of his teammates, he can watch him. But to Tommy's superhuman eye, it doesn't look like Bart is moving at the speed he really is.

Tommy's eyes can follow every movement Bart makes as if he's moving in slow motion. The way Bart springs and twists, bracing himself for every landing, the way his back curves and the suit clings  _just_ right...

It makes Tommy burn like nothing has ever done to him before. His nerves feel alive at the thought of his hands roaming and lingering on the open curve of Bart's spine, unhindered by the fabric of his suit...

His face heats up at the thought as Bart comes to stand by him. He tries to hang his hair in his face and cover the flush spreading there to no avail. Bart simply gave a snicker and spun him around lightly.

"What's on your mind, Tom?" Bart grinned and nuzzled into Tommy's shoulder, relishing in the heat of his skin there.

"..er...nothing."

Bart laughed again and spun him gently one more time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I shall not be late again! I have the next few pages roughed out, so as long as I remember to post them, the next few days are in the bag.


	10. silver

Bart purred lightly, dragging his fingers through Tomm'y hair as the two of them tumbled around on the gymnast mats in the exercise room. He grinned and nuzzled into Tommy's neck as they laid there, legs entwined.

"...you've got pretty white hair, Toms."

"It's not white. It's more...gray-ish. It just depends on the lighting."

"Looks white to me." Bart tickled along Tommy's sides as they rolled and tumbled again, ending with Bart laying against Tommy's chest.

"...your eyelashes are white too!"

"They are not!"

"Are too! It's super cute too." Bart laughed and pecked Tommy beside his eye, watching for a brief moment as the green began to slide into blue.

"Ohstopthatyou." He wiggled free of Bart's grip and tickled the shorter speedster, breaking into a fit of giggles as they began to roll again.


	11. prepared

Video games: check.

Big, snuggly blanket stolen off Billy's bed: check.

Enough snacks to feed a small army: double check.

Tommy grinned and dropped onto the couch beside Bart, their knees casually brushing as they settled back into the blanket. Tommy reached over and snatched a handful of the snacks from Bart's arms, snickering lightly.

"We have the entire house to ourselves tonight."

"Yup!" Bart grinned and brushed his arm against Tommy's to reach for the remote. "Ready to get your ass beat in Mario Kart?"

Tommy's eyes lit up mischeviously.

"Oh, you are so on, Bart Allen."


	12. knowledge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is tied to the next two. Tommy has some bad experiences, and we're getting closer to a big turning point!

" _Knowing is half the battle,"_ mocked Tommy in a strange satire of Eli's voice. "Knowing is not getting us captured by aliens, Eli!"

"Okay, so I screwed up the timing!" Eli snapped back, pulling on the bonds that held him. Tommy hissed and looked at the rest of their team: Billy, Bart, himself and Eli.

He was okay more or less, aside from a painful throb in his knee. It wasn't broken, he would not be sitting this still if it were, but he had to have done something severe for it to hurt this long.

Billy was bad off, blood trickling down his face from a gash hidden in his hairline. His helmet was cracked and barely hanging on, sliding as the mage shifted with a pained groan. Bart struggled and tried to wrestle himself free from whatever alien substance held him, blood dripping from his busted nose and split lip. He huffed when he couldn't get loose and looked at Tommy.

"I think we're in trouble, Toms."

"If the others never got our distress call, we most certainly are." Tommy tried to vibrate free, but winced and bit on his tongue when his knee throbbed again.

Bart growled when their extraterrestrial captors came in and moved to pull Tommy down. Tommy didn't understand what their clicking, hissing language meant, but the hard scent of antiseptic from the sliding doors meant only one thing.

Laboratory. Experiments. Being poked and prodded without any of his barriers.

A horrified noise escaped him before he could stifle it, staring back at Bart with a pleading look as he was taken away.

 


	13. denial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Tommy. D8
> 
> Traumatic memories and whatnot next.

This wasn't happening.

_White walls with bright lights and men in white coats-_

Not again.

_Poking, prodding tests, beeping machines, **make it stop-**_

This wasn't right, this shouldn't be happening again!

_"Look at the subjects vitals, look how alive **she** is!_

"Make it stop..!" Tommy screeched and fought against whatever held him down.

How long had he been here? Who knows.

Were the others coming for him? He could only hope.

He grit his teeth and clenched his eyes shut as he failed to break free again.

He didn't open hem when the doors broke open and people stormed in. He felt hands on his and the bonds being vibrated apart. Strong, skinny arms pulled him close.

He buried his nose into the tight, red fabric of Bart's suit. The pain in his knee flared again, and he bit back a quiet noise not unlike a sob as gloved hands carded through his hair.

"Tommy, I've got you. You'll be alright, I've got you now."

Tommy's shoulders slowly relaxed, still shuddering just slightly. For once, he couldn't deny those words.

He felt okay with Bart. He felt whole.


	14. wind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something a bit happier.

Those aliens had strained his knee. Not broken it, thankfully, or dislocated it. They set a brace around it and tried to keep him off his feet. It made walking umcomfortable and running unbearable.

He still tried though. Three days of being stuck to the couch, he and Bart ran until they couldn't run anymore, regardless of where in the world they stopped. It helped his knee, and honestly, made him feel better in general.

The first time, they ran until they met the coastline of San Fransisco. Tommy thought about maybe dropping in and surprising Molly with a visit, maybe to let Bart meet her. Instead, he raced the fellow speedster back to New York.

The next time, they ran east, not stopping when they hit water and then land again. Only stopping long enough to grab a bite of food ( _"Dude, we're in London!")_ before they continued.

They didn't stop until they were breathing the air at the peak of Mount Wundagore, overlooking miles of the land below, land that had once been the site of the birth of Wanda and Pietro Maximoff.

"The view's nice, huh, Bart?"

Bart turned to reply, but stopped once his eyes landed on Tommy. He looked stunning against the backdrop of forest, his green eyes looking fondly into the distance as the breeze kicked up and tossed Tommy's hair about his face. He flashed a grin and leaned over, pecking Tommy once on the cheek.

"The view really does look great from here."


	15. order

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SORRY I'M BEHIND AGAIN.
> 
> In other news, my dear friend has suggested the ship name for these two to be Complimentary Colors. I like it. uwu

"Speed, stand down- Tommy, stand down! The building is too unstable!"

"Eli, there are still people inside, we have to help-"

"You wouldn't be quick enough to get them all. Let Cap and the others handle this."

Tommy grit his teeth and vibrated hard in place with the anticipation to run, but not being allowed to. Bart wrapped his fingers around Tommy's to keep him in place.

"This is a job for the adult heroes, Toms."

Tommy just clenched his hand around Bart's and glanced over when Quicksilver and the Flash blurred beside them, disppearing into the building.

"..right..right."


	16. thanks

Tommy frowned some, closing his fingers over Bart's as he pressed soft kisses along the brunette's scraped knuckles.

"You didn't have to jump into that fight, I had it under control." He glanced away from the bruising on Bart's knuckles to look at him.

"I had to help, the big guy was gonna get you from behind while you were busy with the others." He smiled, trying to pull his fingers from Tommy's apologetic kisses. "I didn't mind helping though."

"...thanks. All the same, you're all scraped up because of me now."

"Oh, come on. I've lived through worse." He beamed a grin and pecked Tommy gently.

Tommy should probably explain why the boys had jumped him in the first place. There were a lot of things Tommy should probably explain to Bart.

"...Bart, I gotta show you something."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is when we finally get a into the serious ftm!Tommy stuff. So, apologies ahead of time.


	17. look

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO LATE I'M SORRY.

"Tommy, if you're uncomfortable, you don't have to-"

"I just...need to make sure you'll be okay with this andI'mtiredofhidingit." He swallowed hard and clutched his arms around himself protectively.

They sat in silence for a moment before Bart's frown deepened. Tommy reached to wrestle himself out of his shirt, frowning when Bart's fingers gripped the edge of it.

"Here..let me help you." Tommy made a disgruntled noise, but nodded. He sat as still as Bart moved to help him out of the shirt.

A shuddering breath left the speedster as his hair fell back into his face. Bart looked a bit lost for a moment, moving to brush his thumb against the edge of the binder secured around Tommy.

"Um...Tommy?"

"Look,youhaveeveryrighttobeupset-"

"Tommy! I'm not upset." Bart looked a bit hurt that Tommy would think he was.

"...you...aren't?"

"God, no." He frowned and pulled Tommy closer. "I'm just worried about you. You look really uncomfortable."

"I'm usually uncomfortable; it's just how I am with myself." He swallowed again, biting lightly on his lip.

He settled a bit when Bart drew him close to his chest, wrapping his arms around Tommy's shoulders.

"You're still Tommy. I'm alright with this- Unless you wanna be called something different or-?"

"No, no...Tommy's fine. ...I'm glad. I was worried you'd...dislike me or some shit like that."

"Never, Toms. Never." He smiled and buried his nose into Tommy's white hair, sighing gently as he felt Tommy's shoulders finally relax fully.


	18. summer

Tommy hummed, letting the warm air flutter through his hair. He wiggled his toes as the water from the lake flowered over his feet, stirring the mud between them. Bart stood beside him, hooking their fingers together and swaying in place.

"Are we gonna go public as a couple, Tommy?"

"I dunno. Sounds like the best course of action right now." He looked over at the brunette.

"And about the other thing...?"

"..that's gonna take a bit longer. But I'll come clean about it eventually." He sighed some and felt Bart's fingers squeeze tighter around his.

"Just do whatever makes ya happy, Toms." A smile graced his face and spread to Tommy's.

"I will, don't worry." He swung their hands together lightly and listened to the lake lap against the shore as the July sun set behind him.


	19. transformation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna try and finish these off by the end of the month. I'm so sorry for the wait.

Once the speedsters went public, all chance of secrecy outside the base vanished.

People with cameras swarmed them when they weren't fighting, and though Tommy usually welcomed and adored the celebrity status, it kept getting in the way of personal time with Bart.

"Hnnng. I didn't want this to happen." He let his head hit the table, the newspaper bearing the headline **_YOUNG AVENGERS and TEEN TITANS: TEAM UP TO_** ** _STAY?_**

"You brought this on yourself." Billy barely contained the laugh he felt building up.

"How come you and Teddy never had this problem?"

"One: we're on the same team. Two: I never made us public by giving him a victory kiss in from of forty news cameras."

"That's because you two are laaaame." He grinned.

"Tommy, I will turn you into a squirrel, don't tempt me."


	20. tremble

Tommy gave a soft sigh as he parted from Bart, running his fingers lightly down the brunette speedster's cheek and jaw. BArt leaned forward and brushed their lips together again, running his fingers lightly under the edge of Tommy's shirt.

He gave a smile and slid his fingers along Tommy's fingers, brushing his thumb along the rough edge of Tommy's binder. Tommy smiled back at him and let his fingers rest against Bart's cheekbone.

"Love you, Tommy."

"You too, Bart." He smiled wider and pulled Bart into another kiss, curling his fingers around and into Bart's hair. He felt the soft brown strands curl around his fingers.

Bart nipped lightly on his lower lip and Tommy jumped as he felt a tremble shoot up his spine, white hot and sudden.


	21. sunset

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of these are gonna be sorta short because I wrote them in class. QnQ But the final two chapters will be longer.

"This has to be the best thing about being a speedster." Tommy pulled his legs close, watching the sky change from grey to pastel orange and red.

"What, being able to watch the sunset from over Hollywood?" Bart smiled, tossing a rock between his hands as he watched Tommy relax some.

"Being able to watch it from  _anywhere_ in the world." He hummed quietly and looked over at Bart.

"That's a good reason. My favorite thing is being able to watch it with you."

"Oh, you big sap." He snorted a soft laugh and cut off Bart's excited laugh with a kiss.


	22. mad

Tommy grit his teeth, feeling dirt and dust bite into his skin as he ran through the streets.

Someone had hurt Bart.

Someone had to pay for that.

Billy had tried to warn him against it, but who could really talk to him when he was pissed?

He was, after all, a (former) super powered juvenile delinquent, right?


	23. thousand

_One thousand and one._

Tommy mentally ticked the time off in his head by seconds, frowning some.

Billy was late.

He said he would be here before now. Because  _someone_ had to come get Tommy back from SHIELD.

Okay, maybe blowing the enemy base sky high had been a bad idea. But they had hurt Bart! ...and no one had died. (bummer.)

_One thousand and two._

....dammit, where was he?


	24. outside

Bart leaned on Tommy as Tommy carried him along on his back, his hands hooked comfortably under Bart's knees.

"You're comfy, Tommy."

"Glad you think so."

"It smells nice out here." He smiled as Tommy set him down out in the abandoned field of wildflowers. Tommy plopped down beside him and laid on his back. Bart giggled madly when a petal landed on Tommy's nose.

He plucked it off and picked a handful of flowers, dropping them on Bart's head, causing him to laugh again.

"Quit being adorable, Bart."

"I can't. It's just how I am." He smiled and picked up a couple of the flowers, braiding them into his best rendition of a flower tiara.

"Oh, you have to be kidding me-"

"Hold still!"

"No, I don't want one-"

Tommy pouted when Bart sat the ring of red flowers on his white hair.

"You're precious, Tommy."


End file.
